Cooking with Brie

[ShawtyCat]

Ive bought some Brie and have no idea what to do with it. Ive heard people ranting and raving over this stuff and would like to know what to use this with. Ive already found out that it doesnt go very well with Ritz Crackers or Stuffed Shells (as a substitute for Mozzarella).

Thanks

[Jim]

Warm it, gently(!), and serve with any assortment of fruits. I like sliced pears and a smear of lingonberries or raspberry coulis (glorified raspberry jelly... kind of).
Also try dredging it in flour, egg wash and then almonds and bake until oooey-goooey. Or omit the almonds and use fresh bread crumbs and pan fry it.
When I had chunks left over from catered events that had cheese boards, I would remove the skin from the brie and melt it into a maccaronni 'n cheese sauce. Yum!
For parties, buy a whole wheel and wrap it (with care) in phyllo and bake, tucking some fruit preserves between the layers of dough. Serve with crisps or other hard cracker. Swedish flatbreads are great with brie... look for them in a high-end groccery store or ethnic market.
Most importantly, I can't think of any time when you want to serve brie cooler than room temperature. Most cheeses, if not all, develop their flavors at room temperature and slightly above.
Hope this helps!

[chiffonade]

...Wrap it in phyllo dough after studding it with walnuts and cinnamon. Bake. Let it rest at least 20 minutes or the cheese will still be liquid and come oozing out of the pastry casing.

I love brie on a great sandwich like smoked turkey, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce and brie on a real semolina roll.

[alexia]

Luscious suggestions. Hip builders all.

Shawtycat, Just remember if you intend to just use it on crackers it should be ripe to be really good. If you're limited to supermarkets you may not be able to find it. A good cheesemonger would have it. It should be at room temperature when serving

I tend to buy it a few days early and sometimes leave it out overnight (my house is cool) to hasten the ripening. I like it a bit oozy.

[ShawtyCat]

Ripe?? My cheese isn't ripe?? I bought it from the supermarket and it is the texture of mozzarella. Isnt that the way it is supposed to look....kinda like an eraser with a little blue in it? I didnt think cheese could be confusing. How do you ripen this stuff?? I dont think I have a cheesemonger.

[Jim]

kinda like an eraser with a little blue in it?

That is a unique way to describe it. I am wondering, however, about that "blue" you speak of. Did you pick up Brie or saga blue? I can't recall brie with anything blue in/on it. It should be creamy white/off white with a fuzzy 'skin'.

[cape chef]

Geez Jim,

Is that the brie that ate manhatten?

IMHO,

Like Alexia said...go to a cheese house, buy the best you can, be sure to buy it ripe, let it rest an hour or more at room temp.

Relax, slice some pears, maybe some procuitto...some good olives and quality bread.

A glass (or more) of a nice herbal, softed oaked white wine and thats all you need.

Shawty cat, try to enjoy a fine brie as it was intended to be enjoyed. with very little fuss
cc

[Suzanne]

Dear Shawty Cat:

Relax. (We don't want that new little one to pop out too soon.) Cheese is just another food, and should be enjoyed, not cause for alarm.

What gets sold in the supermarket as "brie" can range from the real thing (food for the gods) down to, yes, pencil-erasers. the hallmarks of a good brie are just as Jim and everyone else said:
-- Ripe, which means on the soft side, maybe a little oozy, but not totally liquid. It also means having a slightly pungent smell, but definitely NOT smelling like ammonia!
-- Pale to light golden yellow on the inside, with a white slightly (only slightly!) fuzzy skin on the outside. That skin is edible. If it is grayish, the inside is probably over-ripe (ammonia alert!) and you don't want to eat it. Period.
-- NOT blue! As mentioned, Saga is a lot like brie, but with mold injected. If it was called "brie" but it's blue, something is wrong! Well, probably, not anything that will hurt you, but just pass it along to your hubby to eat (actually, it would be good melted on some portabello caps as a mushroom-cheese burger).

The main thing is, to paraphrase Duke Ellington, "If it tastes good, it IS good." My favorite way to eat brie is to let it come to room temperature and get kind of soft, then slather it on some good French or Italian bread and eat it with a cut-up pear. It's that simple. (I'm assuming you're skipping the wine these days.) If it tastes too strange to you, or smells really ugly, it will not be a sin to dump it.

As for a "cheesemonger" -- look around your area for a supermarket like Whole Foods, or a fancy specialty store. The prices won't actually be that much higher, but more important, there will be people there who KNOW SOMETHING about what cheese should and should not be. It always helps to buy from somebody who knows what they're selling!

Cheese is just another of life's great pleasures to be enjoyed (in moderation, of course; and in spite of what Markdchef might say!)

(Sorry to run on so long, but it's after dinner and we split a bottle of Sangiovese from the Finger Lakes. hic )

[Chef Brian]

Here is a tasty way to use that brie of yours. If you are ever up for creating some yummy "california" style pizza one great recipe is brie, asperugus, shallots and a little white wine butter. These flavors work very well with one another and make a different but very yummy pizza. I have also seen this pizza done with a bit of smoked salmon

As mentioned by some of the other chef's, brie is a soft cheese and very sutiable for a cheese tray complimented by crackers, a crusty loaf of French Bread and some fruit such as grapes, strawberries and apples.

Good luck with your brie ;-)

[Svadhisthana]

Grilled turkey burger with brie and grilled apple (granny smith) slices.


A note: Pregnant women should consult their M.D.'s about the consumption of soft cheeses.

[ShawtyCat]

Thanks Svad, I'll definately ask my ob aout the cheese first. Then Ill head back to the supermarket for the actual Brie you guys have told me about. Mine really does have a blueish tinge to the rind.

And Suzanne, I have to confess, I grew up in Barbados and have never had wine. All I know is Guiness. You'll have to recommend some to me.

[momoreg]

Jim, that's a hefty wheel of brie...

With regard to soft cheeses during pregnancy, the general rule is, if it is imported, and made from unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses are definitely out. That, unfortunately, leaves out many wonderful cheeses...

(They advise that women stay away from all blue cheeses, feta, brie, and camembert when pregnant. )

[ShawtyCat]

I dont know about the feta....Ive been having cravings for it with my salad along with anchovies. Its amazing the things you will eat when you are pregnant. Ive gone through a jar of peanut butter a week since starting this trimester.

Sigh...I guess I have a lot to talk about during my next ob checkup.

[momoreg]

I accidentally ( ) consumed some forbidden cheeses, and my little fetus is just fine. Definitely discuss it with your OB though.

[Isa]

How about a brie truffle?